Sunday, July 16, 2017

Fair foods beyond the sticks

There’s
a photo of Triple Cheeseburger Doughnuts on the cover of “Fair Foods,” Thank
you, Iowa State Fair.

“Fried
Everything” is a chapter title, going all out on Deep Fried Butter and Fried
Coca-Cola. Thank you, Texas State Fair.

Sure
I’ve heard of crazy fair food, but I’ve never been to a fair with pesto
coleslaw, Violet Soda (made with flowers) and I don’t know who thought of a
dill dipping sauce for fried oysters.

George
Geary tells us how to make all these delights in “Fair Foods: The Most Popular
and Offbeat Recipes from America’s State & County Fairs.” Thank you, Mr.
Geary. He’s also responsible for “The Cheesecake Bible.”

If
you need to know how to deep fry a Snickers bar, assemble a doughnut sandwich
or fry something else, like butter, this is the place. The chocolate bacon
recipe below is one on which I’m willing to splurge on calories.

Chocolate-Encased
Bacon

(Most
fair vendors serve this bacon frozen, since the chocolate melts fast in the
heat of the day.)